The ever-increasing popularity of touring on two-wheel vehicles and live vehicles, such as bicycles and motorcycles, and the use of such vehicles for urban transportation means, has caused an advance in the equipment used to carry luggage and items. For instance, in the bicycling industry, panniers, also called bike bags, are typically secured to different portions of the bike or to racks added to the bikes.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,673,833, issued on Oct. 7, 1997 to Ortlieb, discloses a device for holding bags in which fastening clips close around a rod of carrier racks, handle-bars or struts of bicycles (hereinafter rod). The clips enclose the rod. A spring is provided to force the clips into the locking position.
Considering that the fastening clips enclose and accommodate the rod, the device of Ortlieb requires shims that will shape the fastening clips to the geometry of the rod. As there are various dimensions of rods for frames, the device of Ortlieb must provide various shim dimensions to ensure that the device will be suitably connected to the rods of the frame so as to limit rattling resulting from play between the clips and the rods.